🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,837 in Matosinhos.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $2,670 in Matosinhos.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $3,503 in Matosinhos.
🙂Living in Phuket costs roughly 31% less than in Matosinhos, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Matosinhos is 37% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Matosinhos
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.70฿153
$11.78€10.14
-60.10%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.37฿1,482
$46.85€40.30
-3.16%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.43฿275
$9.11€7.83
-7.46%
Cappuccino
$2.93฿95.6
$2.31€1.99
26.84%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.40
$1.97€1.69
-64.97%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.99
$1.42€1.22
-73.94%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.41฿78.6
$2.85€2.45
-15.44%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿122
$3.40€2.93
9.41%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Matosinhos
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.23฿72.9
$1.07€0.92
108.41%
White Bread(500g)
$1.83฿59.8
$1.76€1.51
3.98%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.17฿70.8
$1.63€1.40
33.13%
Eggs
$2.21฿72.3
$3.03€2.61
-27.06%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.74฿645
$11.45€9.85
72.40%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.63฿119
$7.06€6.08
-48.58%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.53฿442
$14.13€12.16
-4.25%
Apples(1kg)
$3.28฿107
$2.13€1.83
53.99%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61฿52.6
$1.47€1.26
9.52%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿78.6
$1.82€1.57
32.42%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿68.1
$2.47€2.13
-15.79%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿49.93
$1.32€1.13
15.91%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.36
$1.81€1.56
-18.23%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.99฿32.29
$1.49€1.28
-33.56%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51฿16.67
$0.83€0.72
-38.55%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41฿144
$6.21€5.34
-28.99%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.38฿633
$5.67€4.87
241.80%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.1
$1.14€0.98
56.14%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71฿88.6
$2.27€1.96
19.38%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Matosinhos
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.37฿44.79
$1.81€1.56
-24.31%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.39฿372
$35.25€30.32
-67.69%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.02฿98.6
$4.12€3.54
-26.70%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.99฿32.48
$0.79€0.68
25.32%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.10฿461
$14.49€12.46
-2.69%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.36฿44.51
$1.96€1.69
-30.61%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K฿921.1K
$34.4K€29.6K
-17.92%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$39.3K€33.8K
-16.23%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Matosinhos
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿3,975
$137€118
-11.08%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿443
$21.23€18.26
-36.08%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.31฿598
$42.22€36.32
-56.63%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Matosinhos
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.2฿1,967
$46.85€40.30
28.54%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.14฿560
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.69฿284
$8.54€7.35
1.76%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Matosinhos
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$693฿22.6K
$353€303
96.55%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.7K฿512.3K
$8,368€7,198
87.46%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Matosinhos
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,944
$74.8€64.4
-20.45%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.77฿1,136
$33.85€29.12
2.72%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,743
$91.4€78.6
25.38%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.3฿2,720
$110€95.0
-24.55%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Matosinhos
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$613฿20.0K
$1,157€995
-47.01%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$437฿14.3K
$938€807
-53.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,094฿68.4K
$1,926€1,656
8.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,509฿49.3K
$1,625€1,398
-7.11%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,749฿122.5K
$4,543€3,908
-17.47%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,616฿85.4K
$4,003€3,443
-34.65%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Matosinhos
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$508฿16.6K
$1,247€1,073
-59.27%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
5.29
0.76%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Last update for Matosinhos: June 2, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $1,157 in Matosinhos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Matosinhos pays 146% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
🛒Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $47.00 in Matosinhos. Groceries flip the comparison at $293 vs $243, with Matosinhos cheaper for home cooking.
City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)
The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Phuket vs Matosinhos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Matosinhos cheaper than Phuket?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 45% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Matosinhos?
On paper, Matosinhos earns 146% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Matosinhos?
Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $1,157 in Matosinhos. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Phuket vs Matosinhos?
All in, you'll spend $1,265 per month in Phuket versus $1,837 in Matosinhos – a 45% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 209% less than in Matosinhos. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Matosinhos?
At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,837 in Matosinhos, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Matosinhos. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Matosinhos more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Matosinhos, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Matosinhos?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Matosinhos are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 45% less than in Matosinhos. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.